The present invention relates to a method for retrieving information with image information and text information being linked to each other, and more particularly to a method for retrieving information with a plurality of image information being overlaid with each other in a limited area.
The plan concerning an area has conventionally been made in such a manner that the feature or the like of that area are investigated by using a map and detailed information is acquired by retrieving a relational information database (hereinafter abbreviated to DB) concerning that area. Usually, a describing language or SQL (Structured Query Language) for retrieval is used for the retrieval of DB.
For example, a retrieval system using text information has been disclosed in JP-A-5-165401 entitled xe2x80x9cMAP RETRIEVAL SYSTEMxe2x80x9d. In the disclosed system, a map database is retrieved with a telephone number used as a key for getting the result of retrieval so that the corresponding map is displayed and a marking is made at a position on the map corresponding to the telephone number. In displaying the map, an address and a subscriber""s name associated with the telephone number acquired by retrieving the database are displayed.
Also, JP-A-4-155474 entitled xe2x80x9cIMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND SYSTEMxe2x80x9d has discloses a preferred image processing method in which attribute information of an area to be retrieved on an arrangement diagram such as a map or layout is outputted with a correspondence to an area on the arrangement diagram. The disclosed method includes inputting an arrangement diagram, inputting a figure to define the boundary of a predetermined area in the arrangement diagram by use of an image input device, overlaying the inputted arrangement diagram with the boundary defining figure, and storing the overlaid composition of the diagram and the figure into a memory, thereby facilitating the processing of information concerning the predetermined area in the arrangement diagram.
A city planning operation is an example of a planning operation that uses maps. In the city planning operation, development planning is investigated and made on a desk on the basis of various materials or data. The materials include maps such as the city planning map, residential map and cadastral map, and information which is stored in a database (DB) and concerns residents and fixed properties.
In many cases, the city planning operation includes the followings tasks.
(1) A person acquires personal information concerning residents having their homes in a designated area or landowners possessing their lands in the area, administrative information concerning regulations defined in that area, and information shown in various maps and makes mutual reference to the information.
(2) He processes a work similar to the above work (1) while partially changing the area. In this case, he may change conditions for acquiring the other information while referring to the acquired information. Thus, the investigation of the planning about a plurality of areas requires roughly getting the information of the areas and investigating each area while making the comparison with the rough information obtained for the areas.
(3) A work similar to the above work (1) is repeated by not only changing an area to be investigated but also selecting information corresponding to the investigation.
Namely, the planning operation is made in many cases in such a manner that the operation and investigation are made while simultaneously viewing a plurality of maps for the same area. For example, in the case where a plan of a new road is to be made, it is necessary for him to know information concerning residents in areas along the new road by use of a residential map for the purpose of title negotiation and by using a map indicative of the ownership of lands to know information concerning the landowners and regulations determined for the respective areas.
However, it is difficult for him to plan while simultaneously referring to the plurality of maps and confirming detailed resident information and land information in the DB. The reason is that in the conventional system, the map and the DB are realized without a relation to each other and he must make the DB retrieval of relevant information while departing from the map.
In many cases, it is conventional that information necessary for a planning operation has its value in a locational relation (such as arrangement) displayed on a plan or diagram such as a map. In the conventional system, information retrieved from a DB is used in a form written down in the map. Therefore, the reference to the locational relation requires extra labor and a retrieval range is limited in many cases.
In the conventional system, since a system for displaying maps and a system for retrieving DB""s are realized as separate systems, it is required that the retrieval of the DB having information stored therein and relevant to the maps should be made separately from the work of using the maps. For such circumstances, in the retrieval system using text information disclosed by JP-A-5-165401 entitled xe2x80x9cMAP RETRIEVAL SYSTEMxe2x80x9d, the retrieval of DB information relevant to a map is made by retrieving a map database with text information of a telephone number used as a key for getting the result of retrieval so that not only a relevant-map but also text information associated with the telephone number are displayed. However, this prior art has no disclosure a solution for globally understanding a map and selecting objects from the map.
On the other hand, in the method disclosed by JP-A-4-155474 entitled xe2x80x9cIMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND SYSTEMxe2x80x9d, the processing of information concerning a predetermined area in an arrangement diagram is facilitated by performing an image processing in which the arrangement diagram is overlaid, by use of a marker, with a figure to define the boundary of the predetermined area in the arrangement diagram. However, this prior art has no disclosure as to a method of designating the predetermined area while making the trial of retrieval. Also, in the case where an SQL is used for retrieval, not only the retrieval requires considerable labor but also it is impossible for him to make the direct observation of the change of information on a map in the process of retrieval in a trial-and-error manner.
An object of the present invention is to provide a DB (database) retrieval method in which when a DB having text information stored therein and linked with image information such such a map is retrieved on the basis of the image information, a proper object of retrieval can be selected from massive information of the DB on the basis of a relation of the image information to another image information and a DB retrieval condition and a range of application thereof can easily be set imagewise on the image information.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a retrieval method which is capable of easily understanding the correspondence of plural kinds of maps concerning the same area to detailed information concerning each map.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method which is capable of easily retrieving a DB relevant to a map by composing at least one retrieval condition on the map as an image.
To that end, a two-step retrieval including a qualitative retrieval and a quantitative retrieval, which will be mentioned, is performed through an interactive process. Though the operation of image information (for example, map information) having the correspondence to a DB having text information such as attribute information stored therein, text information corresponding to the image information is retrieved from the DB. In the following, the attribute information is used as the text information.
1) The qualitative retrieval includes a DB information reading process for reading image information, attribute information and information relevant thereto, and a qualitative retrieval process for making a qualitative retrieval including the partial overlaying of the first image information (for example, map information) with another image information related with the first image information for retrieval or a rough retrieval with another information used as a retrieval key to get the result of retrieval and for storing the result of retrieval into a work file. The retrieval key used in the qualitative retrieval process is called information lens. The qualitative retrieval process selects information from the information read through the DB information reading process. The result of selection is stored in the work file. The result of selection is a partial assembly of the information read through the DB information reading process.
2) The quantitative retrieval includes a DB information reading process for reading image information, attribute information and information relevant thereto, which are stored in the work file, and a quantitative retrieval process for making a quantitative retrieval in which the first image information is overlaid with a retrieval key called a function sheet including the composition of a quantitative retrieval condition and an image indicative of a area of application of the retrieval condition and for displaying the result of retrieval on a display device.
In the case where the obtained result of retrieval is not preferable or in the case where another retrieval is made, either a processing including the repetition of the qualitative retrieval and the quantitative retrieval subsequent thereto or a processing including the repetition of only the quantitative retrieval can be selected on the basis of a user""s instruction.
The following processing is performed in the qualitative retrieval.
(1) In a DB information reading process, image information and text information stored in a DB are read and displayed on a display device.
(2) In a parameter setting process, a retrieval condition for the displayed image information is set.
(3) In an image information composing (or generating) process, another image information necessary for retrieval is displayed in a composite form with the above-mentioned image information on the basis of an inputted instruction.
(4) In a DB retrieval process, text information is retrieved from the DB on the basis of the retrieval conditions designated in the above items (2) and (3).
In the present invention, the generation or composition of image information in the above item (3) includes the composition of image information as will be mentioned in the following.
1) The other image information including detailed information is composed in a local area on the displayed image information.
2) A magnified version of another image information including detailed information is composed in a local area on the displayed image information.
3) Another image information including detailed information is composed in a local area on the displayed image information and within an area which includes a position set by the user.
4) By use of the correspondence of the displayed image information to another image information to be composed thereon, a modified version of another image information including detailed information is composed and displayed in a local area on the displayed image information.
The following processing is performed in the quantitative retrieval.
There is generated as image data a function sheet for composing the designation of an area to be retrieved and a DB retrieval condition. A frame designating the area to be retrieved is generated as the image data of the function sheet and is displayed overlaying image data to be subjected to retrieval (or which is an object of retrieval). An area corresponding to the image data of the function sheet is obtained or determined in accordance with a user""s operation for the image data of the function sheet. A retrieval condition with the determined area taken as the area to be retrieved is generated as text information and the DB is retrieved on the basis of the text information.
According to the present invention, another image information is displayed in a form composed on image information displayed on a screen. With such a construction, it is possible to understanding another image information in an intended area while seeing the state of the environment and to retrieve information corresponding to that area from a DB.
According to the present invention, a retrieval condition and an area of application thereof are displayed as image data in a composite form with image information. The displayed image data is operated to determine a position at which the image data is displayed, that is, a position on image data which is an object of retrieval. The determined area is inputted as a retrieval condition representative of an area to be retrieved. With such a construction, it is possible for a user to input the area to be retrieved without referring to text information representative of the position of the image information being displayed, thereby facilitating the input of the retrieval condition and the area of application thereof.